Registrar mails postcards to update voter rolls

Postcards from the registrar of voters will soon show up in some mailboxes around the San Diego County. Mailers started going out Aug. 24 to 103,000 residents to find out whether their addresses are current. The registrar is sending the postcards as part of its routine maintenance of the voter rolls.

“If you receive a postcard, fill it out and return it whether you’ve moved or not,” Registrar of Voters Michael Vu said. “We want to make sure the address we have on file is up-to-date, so you can continue receiving election materials such as sample ballots and mail ballots for future elections.”

The postcards are being mailed to registered voters whose election materials were returned to the registrar’s office as undeliverable or who filed a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service. If a forwarding address was left with the U.S. Postal Service, the postcards will be forwarded to the new address.

Voters who receive the prepaid postcard must fill it out and return it within 30 days to remain on active status. Otherwise, they’ll be placed on inactive status and won’t receive election materials. They will still be eligible to vote, but they’ll need to take action – such as change party preference, sign a petition or vote – in order to get back on active status and be mailed materials again.

The registrar updates its rolls regularly in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act and state law. The replies will give the registrar’s office a better picture on the number of registered voters on its active list and also save taxpayer money by not mailing materials to addresses no longer current.